Council Member Dan Halloran is participating in the experimental Participatory Budgeting program. PB is a process which allows the taxpayers to propose projects to be funded by discretionary funding and vote on the ones they would most like to see happen. The process is nearly complete, with the final vote taking place next week. Everyone 16 years of age or older in the District is eligible to vote.

“I’m proud to be one of the first Council Members to engage in the experimental Participatory Budgeting process, which has been rolling along since the fall with great input from lots of constituents. I believe very strongly in government transparency. These projects are all worthwhile, especially because they came from the people. We’ve all learned a lot. This year’s project, which will determine how we spend one million dollars, is nearly complete and taxpayers will vote very soon on the winning project. I encourage everyone to come out to vote and participate in government.”

Al Hagan, UFOA President (left): ”We represent the 2500 Lieutenants, Captains and Chief Officers in the Fire Department, as well as almost 5000 Retirees. We are here today to proudly endorse Dan Halloran for reelection to the City Council. Dan has proven to be a true friend, not only to fire officers and the Fire Department, but to all the working people in the district.”

Council Member Halloran said, “I am honored to receive the support of the UFOA and pledge to continue to work to make sure that New York’s Bravest have the resources they need when they put themselves in harm’s way to save us in our most dire emergencies. Our firefighters cannot do the tremendously dangerous job we ask of them if we don’t give them what they need. UFOA recommendations must be followed if we expect continued safety and rescue when disaster strikes our neighborhoods.”

Halloran continued, “There are many things we can cut spending on in this City, but the Fire Department is not one of them. The FDNY must maintain an adequate headcount to ensure they have the personnel to do their jobs. If the UFOA says there should be five firefighters on a truck, that’s what they must have- not three or four. It makes a huge difference in the critical response times of an emergency, when every second counts. We already have fewer firefighters than we did before 9/11, when so many firefighters-like my cousin and so many others- made the ultimate sacrifice. And in a district with mostly wood-frame homes and businesses that use gas, we clearly need to defer to the expert judgment of the UFOA. We need to continue to fight to keep all our firehouses open, as we did with Engine 306 on Bell Blvd., where there are so many bustling businesses and homes within a small area. You don’t tie the hands of the city’s heroes, like Engine 320’s Firefighter Antonio Velez who rescued a 12-year-old boy and his cat. You can’t cut funding on bravery like that.”

“I thank the UFOA for their support and pledge to continue to support them and New York’s bravest.”

Council Member Dan Halloran joined the Northeast Queens Republican Club’s Family Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday and brought the Easter Bunny to Bowne Park. Nearly one hundred children gathered with their parents and Dan for the free event and ran around the park gathering hundreds of eggs packed with prizes.

[pullquote]I have publicly opposed this ban since it was introduced, for exactly the reasons stated in today’s ruling. ~City Council Member Dan Halloran[/pullquote]Halloran Stands with Bayside Business Owners, Praises New Soda Ban Ruling

Council Member Halloran praised today’s ruling on the soda ban, which was issued just after he stood on Bell Boulevard to show his support for local business owners faced with the ban.

Halloran Spokesman Kevin J. Ryan said, “As with the Crisis Pregnancy Bill and the taxi medallion sale, Council Member Halloran has once again been proven right in calling an idea from the Mayor unconstitutional. In this case, the ruling correctly striking down the soda ban mirrors exactly what the Council Member has been saying from the beginning, including just a few hours before the ruling came out: it’s effect would be disproportionate. He was right. The soda ban left the judge flat.”

ABOVE – WAY BACK WHEN:
Video from over 1 year ago.

Council Member said, “I have publicly opposed this ban since it was introduced, for exactly the reasons stated in today’s ruling. The effect would be, as Judge Tingling said, arbitrary and capricious. I’m proud to have been part of the amicus brief along with Council Members Oliver Koppel, Fernando Cabrera, Letitia James, and Robert Jackson, which clearly had a tremendous impact. It’s absolutely the correct ruling and I congratulate all the petitioners, including the Korean-American Grocers Association, who operate many stores in our District. But what’s important is how we move forward. We must help our business owners any way we can. I will work with my colleagues in the City Council to make sure a law like this never passes again. It has been a waste of time and resources. We must help and encourage our small businesses every way we can. Our small businesses are the engine that drives our economy. This soda ban, and all excessive burdens on business, is like the government putting sugar in the gas tank.”

The NYPD Captains Endowment Association today announced their endorsement of Council Member Dan Halloran for reelection to the City Council.

In front of the 109th precinct in Flushing, Association President Roy Richter said, “Today, the Captains Endowment Association of the New York City Police Department is pleased to announce our endorsement of Council Member Dan Halloran in his re-election campaign for City Council. Since his election to the City Council in 2009, Councilman Halloran has repeatedly displayed an appreciation for public safety and support for the men and women who patrol the streets of Queens.

[pullquote]Public safety has been one of my greatest concerns in the Council, serving on the committee and fighting to help our law enforcement officers keep us safe.” ~Dan Halloran (more below)[/pullquote]The New York City Police Department is facing enormous challenges in the coming years. Along with the departure of Mayor Bloomberg and his administration, over 5,000 police officers are scheduled to leave the Police Department due to retirement. It is thanks to the Finest Police Department in the world that crime is at record lows and New York City has been labeled the safest large City in the United States. Public Safety means a strong city economy. Dan Halloran, coming from a family with generations of service to the City in Police and Fire service understands this relationship and is an experienced, loud voice in city government advocating to maintain staffing levels and adequate numbers of police officers on patrol in the borough of Queens.

Dan Halloran has experience, common sense and an appreciation of the needs of the public to feel safe in the neighborhoods they live. For these reasons the NYPD Captains Endowment Association endorses Dan Halloran for City Council.”

Halloran said, “I am honored to receive this endorsement from the superior officers of the greatest police department in the world. Public safety has been one of my greatest concerns in the Council, serving on the committee and fighting to help our law enforcement officers keep us safe. I will continue to support our cops and protect our neighborhoods.”

The NYPD Captains Endowment Association represents 2,100 active and retired uniformed members of the New York City Police Department in the ranks of Captain, Deputy Inspector, Inspector, Deputy Chief and Police Surgeon.

Council Member Dan Halloran held a press conference outside his District Office in Whitestone to inform homeowners about the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) new Service Line Protection Programs. These programs are designed to provide an insurance policy that covers the homeowner’s cost of repair to private water and sewer lines.

Homeowners are responsible for their private water and sewer lines between the City main, located in the middle of most streets, and the connection to their home. This means that water or sewer line breaks under the street or sidewalk may be the responsibility of the homeowner. These repairs are usually very costly and must be made immediately, or water service could be lost for the entire block and homes or infrastructure can be seriously damaged.

Council Member Halloran’s office has received numerous calls from constituents, inquiring about the legitimacy of the program and how it works.

Halloran commented, “We’ve all worked so hard to have our homes in this community and we all want to protect our homes from expensive, unexpected damage. Private water or sewer line breaks can cost homeowners anywhere from $3000 to $8000. Even a simple water line leak is hundreds of dollars. In this tough economy, I don’t know any homeowner who has $8000 to spare. Damage to these lines can be the result of wear and tear, tree roots, heavy vehicle traffic or nearby construction,” said Halloran. “Like any other insurance program, the Service Line Protection Program could save you a lot of money.”

The Service Line Protection Programs offered by DEP and its contractor, American Water Resources (AWR,) provide unlimited protection for covered repairs from normal wear and tear and basic restoration of affected property. They will also provide an unlimited number of claims, 24/7 customer service, and quick response time by NYC-Licensed Master Plumbers who are pre-qualified to perform needed repairs. AWR is the only authorized provider of these programs, and their services are guaranteed by the City.

However, the Greater Whitestone Taxpayers Association brought to the attention of Council Member Halloran other companies claiming to offer similar services. One such company offered protection to only water lines at a higher rate than that charged by DEP and AWR, despite sewer lines being most costly to repair. These companies are not authorized or affiliated with DEP. They may employ unlicensed contractors and their repairs are not backed or guaranteed by DEP.

“These companies are capitalizing on the DEP’s new program and could be confusing to homeowners, especially seniors,” said Halloran. “Just a week after homeowners received the notice from DEP about the Service Line Protection Program, they are receiving an offer from a different company for similar services. Homeowners could easily be misled and not realize that only one of them is from the DEP. We want people to know what they’re signing up for, so they can decide how to best protect their homes.”

“The service line protection programs are a key component of our ongoing effort to provide the best possible customer service,” said DEP Commissioner Carter Strickland. “By informing property owners about their responsibilities and providing an optional and affordable way to protect them from unexpected repair costs, the Programs offer a valuable service to our ratepayers throughout the City.”

The rates for DEP’s Service Line Protection Program are set by the New York City Water Board. They will vary from year to year, but homeowners can cancel at any time. Council Member Halloran indicated that he will enroll in the program, to insure his home in the Broadway-Flushing neighborhood.

Council Member Dan Halloran launched his campaign for reelection at Verdi’s in Whitestone. He was joined by more than 100 constituents, plus supporters from both sides of the aisle, union representatives and key political figures.

After being introduced by 38-year State Senator Frank Padavan, Halloran said, “This campaign is about three things: neighborhoods, neighborhoods and neighborhoods. This is a very special district, where I was raised and have lived my entire life. It’s built around a core of one and two-family homes that we’ve worked hard to own. We need to fight to keep us from becoming just another part of the ‘big city.’ Our district has received more funds in the last three years, despite the Democratic majority in the Council, because we’ve fought hard, made the right decisions and delivered for the people in Northeast Queens. We need to continue that fight to make sure our community has the voice in local government it deserves.”

Halloran continued, “Our district office has been ranked #1 in constituent services in the Council for the last three years in a row, thanks to our dedication to serving our community. We have closed over 8,000 constituent cases and we continue to strive to serve you even better. Other candidates may talk about what they might do. I can tell you what we have done: we’ve saved the after-school programs, kept the fire houses open, and enabled places like Douglaston’s Alley Pond Environmental Center, College Point’s Poppenhusen Institute, and the Bayside Historical Society to go on serving Queens.”

“Always working to increase transparency in government, I was the first Council Member to publish my discretionary funding on the internet, before it was mandatory. We are one of the first Council offices to engage with residents in the Participatory Budget program, so taxpayers can get involved with the budget process and have a voice in how their money is spent. Ours is an office working hard every day of the week and around the clock, even manning the District office during the past hurricanes, blizzards and storms 24/7 to help our constituents get City services when they were most in need. “

Council member Eric Ulrich joined his colleague, as did former State Senator Serf Maltese and former Council Member Mike Abel. Three of the Republican mayoral candidates were well represented: John Catsimatidis generously contributed as a Host, while George McDonald and Joe Lhota personally attended the Council Member’s kick-off event. When asked if he endorses Halloran for reelection, Lhota replied, “I more than endorse him. I want him to win.”

Halloran’s fundraising has already met the NYC Campaign Finance Board threshold for full matching funds, which will allow him to spend the maximum amount permitted by law in this election cycle.

How did this Real Property Tax Increase on Hurricane Sandy Victims Happen?

[pullquote]… Not just Staten Island but South Queens, the Rockaways, Breezy Point – and some of those homes substantial devaluations occurred – complete wipeouts – 120 homes in Breezy Point alone were wiped out.” ~Dan Halloran[/pullquote]“This is the convoluted and arcane system of NYC’s Real Property tax code. They allow a cap of 6% per year of increases, but they bank the rest of it. So even in the years when there are decreases, unless you’ve caught up to what they consider market value, they’re still allowed to tack it on and that’s what they did – despite the fact that almost every elected official has said that this is not the year to do these assessment increases.

In fact Minority Leader Jimmy Otto has put in a bill, and is trying to get the speakers office to move it forward which would prevent just this sort of tax hike on properties, some of which have been destroyed.

Are These Tax Increases Performed Automatically? Don’t they think these things through?

These tax hikes are done every year without fail.

The Department Of Finance doesn’t think a lot of things through, they’re on a revenue kick, and, again, the city’s got to spend 72 Billion Dollars this year on its next budget and its got to find a way to have that money. This is one of the ways the city is able to increase its spending each year.

Who Polices These Tax Hikes Imposed on NYC Real Property Owners?

“Legally these residents are required to pay these taxes unless they’ve grieved the process, but guess what? That expiration date is February 15th! You have to have your grievance in by February 15th of it won’t be considered.” ~Dan Halloran[/pullquote]I would have hoped that the Mayor’s Office would have taken a look at that. We will have hearings now with the Department Of Finance over the budget for this next fiscal year. As you know, the Mayor just proposed it.

But I’ll give you one that’s going to make you even more sick to your stomach. Look at the return address for those tax bills; it’s in New Jersey. The City of New York outsources the collection of tax revenues to a place in New Jersey, and the water bills to a place in Pennsylvania. So we can’t even afford to do the business of collecting taxes inside of the City of New York.

What Will The City Tax Agency Do to Those Who Simply Can’t Pay?

(The City of New York) has pushed forward lien sales so if there is a sufficient amount of money in liens on your property for property taxes, or for water and sewer bills, the city can come after you.

Is Mayor Bloomberg Doing Anything About This Situation So Badly Affecting Homeowners in the Outer Boroughs?

The Mayor has done a lot of things in advocating for Sandy victims in Washington. It’s time for him to turn his focus on his own administration and say to them: “Hey, have you paid attention to what I did about D.C.? Maybe we should be doing the same thing right here in our own back yard.”

So whats Dan’s solution to cut spending by City Hall? Read Dan’s Proposed Plan for the City of NY’s Infrastructure:“I propose merging and incorporating the 113 current city agencies into 46, which will save in simple bureaucratic terms… roughly six to nine billion dollars…” Learn more

In letters sent to House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Tuesday, Council Member Dan Halloran called for the immediate passage of a new Sandy relief bill without the unrelated pork in the current bill from the Senate.

Rather than echo New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Rep. Peter King in calling for the House to vote on the Senate’s bill, Halloran asked for a new, pork-free bill to provide nothing but desperately needed relief for actual storm victims in the Northeast.

Halloran’s letters emphasized the immediate need for a new, fair aid bill and criticized the Senate-drafted relief bill, which contains more than $20 billion in spending not directly related to Sandy damage. Among the wide-reaching pork is funding for fisheries in Alaska, tree planting in Ohio and improvements to the Kennedy Space Center.

Halloran urged his Council colleagues to do the same, commenting, “Both Republicans and Democrats have played a dangerous game with our citizens’ money and its one we can ill afford to continue. It’s time for a real change. We need a relief bill that’s about relief and nothing else.”

The letters were sent a few hours before Speaker Boehner assured Northeast officials that the Senate-drafted bill would be voted on in the house by January 15th.